Ionic Device life span?

[Dinzarelli]

I’m curious as to the official party line for the ionics expected device life span?

I’ve had 2 now, and both have stopped working. 

now that I’m out of warranty, the best Fitbit will do is offer me a discount on another product. 

However, this forum is littered with users who are complaining of faulty devices, many with similar issues too, and lots with issues with the firmware bricking devices. 

Has there been any acknowledgement at Fitbit internally in regards to these constant issues? Is there a known fault with the firmware? Is there a large fault batch of ionics that have been shipped and now it’s too late to resolve? 

Moderator Edit: Clarified subject

[MyLIVY]

Same here 

Out of warranty and only discount on old watches.

Really want to stay with a fitbit but they don't seem to care to keep customers...

[PaulMe]

@Dinzarelli,

Has there been any acknowledgement at Fitbit internally

How long is a piece of string? We are not privy to what's going on internally at Fitbit HQ. And, they aren't about to admit publicly about any product issues - for fairly obvious reasons.

I'm sure you can draw your own conclusions.

🤐

[MattJ71]

I've had my Ionic since launch day and haven't had a single issue with it.  It's still holding a charge as well as it did when brand new.  I am actually quite impressed with the durability of the product.

[MyLIVY]

Mines was great till it crapped out. Maybe it is a batch of them, but either way, they should stand behind their products.

[dc111]

They are the WORST. Very disappointed. It's one thing to have problems with an item, but they are terrible to work with. After waiting 3 months, they finally sent me a (broken) watch (my second purchase with them after the first one died after a year) and I was returning it the next day but I have to pay postage. I won't spend money with this company again.

[dc111]

I bet you work for fitbit. 

[AndreaRN9]

My Ionic was purchased May 2019.  For the past few months I’ve experienced a significant decrease in battery life.  Now it only lasts about 20 hours on a full charge where it used to last 5 days.  I’ve tried all the suggestions (updating, deleting app/reinstall, factory reset, changing back to original clock face) without any improvement.  I’m about to toss this thing as the only reason I chose FitBit over the Apple watch was because of its superior battery life.   My Ionic lasted one year before it turned to junk.  

Now I see they are offering the Sense.  I’d be very interested in that product EXCEPT there’s no way I’m paying $330 for a watch whose 6+ day advertised battery life will decrease dramatically after the thing is a year old and out of warranty.  

[MyLIVY]

You are correct. I was hoping that they would offer a discount towards a Sense at least. Only offer discounts to old watches, smh...

Not sure if I want to spend that kind of money to be dead in a year.

FYI, the Iconic is no longer available for sale on the fitbit website. Way to stand behind their product.

[unagisan]

My Ionic died in less than a week and is still well within warranty but Fitbit still refuses to replace it even though I sent it back to their warehouse. 

[PaulMe]

@MattJ71 

I am actually quite impressed with the durability of the product.

Matt, Update to the latest firmware and get back to us. No really, I'm genuinely interested. I've got the update prompt, but are too gun shy to update.

[MattJ71]

I just updated to the latest firmware yesterday. Took about 10 minutes, finished flawlessly.  I now have active minutes and a new "Find Phone" app which is quite useful!  No problems here.

[MadMax58]

@PaulMe 

I recommend that you wait as long as possible on updating the recent Ionic firmware! This one is a great example of 'No steps forward and three steps back' - I have several new issues since updating last night, and it seems like old issues still exist. 

Till last night my current Ionic had has been somewhat glitchy ever since I received it as a warranty replacement a year ago (my 1st Ionic died only six weeks after I got it) - e.g. a few instances where the screen goes away (still tracking data) or the Ionic decides to shut down, the GPS often cuts out during runs/rides, heart rate monitoring a little glitchy.  Now, Zone Minutes replaced Active Minutes (which did work fine), but for some reason Zone Minutes aren't calculating based on my heart rate (so I've gotten zero minutes); heart rate monitoring is now way worse; sleep tracking is now wonky (Ionic didn't start tracking my sleep until two hours after I actually fell asleep last night); and I've gotten some weird/random displays on my Ionic face today (disappear when I use the back button).  The Zone Minutes and sleep issues are especially aggravating because I get a discount on my medical insurance based on certain key parameters tracked by Fitbit - besides steps it includes Active Minutes and hours asleep.    

[PaulMe]

I took the plunge yesterday. Some sort of subliminal message Fitbit planted in that update banner I couldn't resist!

LOL!

Anyway, no issues with mine either - although the Find Phone feature is good -  it is only as good as your connection is to your phone. So may be not that useful when you really need it.

20 hours since a full charge and I'm currently at 84%. That's an improvement on the previous firmware.

I know I'm in the minority of posters in this forum. Is that to do with human nature - where we prefer to complain rather than praise? I don't know. But I feel a little lucky. So am not boasting at all. But so far so good. Watch this space I guess.

😟

[MadMax58]

Happy for ya @PaulMe !

Anyway it seems like most of Ionic's worst woes are hardware related (otherwise Fitbit would now be selling the Ionic 2 and not the completely new Sense??) - software issues are pretty fixable.  My fingers are crossed that the Zone Minutes feature will soon be fixed on mine, and that my new HR monitoring issues are somehow firmware related and thus likewise reparable.  Then I'll have an excuse to exercise more to catch up on missed sleep and active minute points towards my medical insurance discount.  LOL 

[PaulMe]

@MadMax58 

Anyway it seems like most of Ionic's worst woes are hardware related (otherwise Fitbit would now be selling the Ionic 2 and not the completely new Sense??) 

We don't know why there wasn't/isn't an Ionic 2. The Sense is probably the successor. Why wasn't there a Blaze 2 you could also ask?

Perhaps the mods could ask someone in the design and development area to settle once and for all this question that is doing the rounds of this forum.

Kate, Yojana, Ricardo, Silvia?

If your watch is more or less useable since the fw update then you have more of a chance of the next update addressing some of your current issues. Certainly better chance than those with bricked devices. Those are the one's I feel sorry for.

[MadMax58]

@PaulMe 

True that there seem to be many Ionic owners less fortunate than me.  FWIW...  My device continues to limp along (until one day inevitably it doesn't).  🤔

Why not Ionic 2 or Blaze 2?  Marketers decide make those decisions but the Blaze forum looks similar to the Ionic forum so I suspect the Blaze was not quite the epitome of a reliable tracker/watch.  Usually when a brand name develops a bad rep then it quietly goes away, replaced by a new and amazing product.  But would be interesting to here the party line on the topic.

[bi-Ionic]

You're lucky you were offered a discount.  Mine bricked after a year and a half and all I got was "Too bad sucker".

I am now an Apple watch owner.

[SunsetRunner]

Ionic Number 1: Development problems after month 4 of ownership roughly, I was offered a under warranty replacement in month 8.

Ionic number 2: Developed faults again after 4 months, offered a 25% discount off another substandard product after month 6 because Ionic Number 2 is covered by the warranty of Ionic 1.

So pay nearly £200 again for a product that will fail again in a matter of months... I think not.

My fitbit use was daily wear and running. I never wore it to swim or shower in.

[Dinzarelli]

Sounds like my scenario too @SunsetRunner 

Its very disappointing how Fitbit just bury their head in the sand with these issues and take no ownership.